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Saying she was "sick and tired of being sick and tired" about teenage shootings, Mayor Edna Jackson on Monday morning offered an often-fiery public pledge to curb youth violence.

Police Chief Willie Lovett put the community on notice that juvenile misbehavior was going to be dealt with much more aggressively by his officers.

"It's a whole new ball game now," he said. "The time has come. We were just inches away from burying seven people. As a department, we will go beyond the call of duty. We will make an effort, and all I'm asking for is your support."

He cautioned council that they would be getting calls from parents upset that their children had been stopped on the streets.

"When these kids, these juveniles, are running around in gangs and they get in trouble, the first thing they do is call mom or dad," Lovett said. "They don't ask about the 9 mm (the child had.) They're concerned about why are you stopping my child?"

Mayor Edna Jackson was quick to assure calls from complaining parents wouldn't be tolerated. She urged parents they had to get involved in knowing where their kids were and what they were doing.

Parents who refuse to take responsibility for their children's criminal behavior, and she referenced the city's Parental Responsibility Act, which can take action against a parent who does not make sure their child is attending school and staying out of trouble.

"It is time to wake up," she said. "Do you know who your children are hanging out with? Do you know where they are at night? You must be able to answer these questions."

Jackson, Lovett, members of City Council and Acting City Manager Stephanie Cutter were a united front at the morning press conference at City Hall, which was called to address Saturday night's shooting of seven people at the Coastal Empire Fair and other recent problems with teen violence.

Watch video of the press conference by clicking "Play" to the left. Come back to savannahnow.com for more updates as we get the details of this incident, or check out Tuesday's edition of Savannah Morning News.

Investigators worked through the night Saturday and into Sunday questioning suspects, all of whom were later released. No arrests had been made by Sunday evening, and police were not sure whether one gunman or multiple shooters were involved.

What they have learned is that about 10:40 p.m. Saturday, about 15 males, who appeared to be in their late teens, converged on the midway. At least one, Lovett said, had a gun in his waistband, a witness later told police.

The teens were from two factions. One was a group from Tatemville. The second, from an area of town slightly north, near 54th and Montgomery streets, known as “The Hellhole.”

Police working the fair as off-duty security had scrambled to quell a fight in another area of the fair when shots began ringing out.

Paul Glover, who lives near the fairgrounds, said his wife called their 19-year-old son as soon as she heard about the shooting to tell him to get home immediately. He told his father he was nearby when the shooting started.

Mayor Jackson learned of the shootings on her way to church Sunday. She contacted other City Council members to plan a 10 a.m. press conference today. She is concerned about this shooting and other recent crimes involving teenagers.

“Innocent people are being shot and killed,” she said. “They’re not getting along with each other and they’re using guns. We cannot tolerate that in Savannah. Our residents should not feel that they can't be safe at public functions and in their neighborhood.”

Lovett believes there are bystanders who saw what happened, and he repeated a call that investigators often struggle with after shootings here: an unwillingness for witnesses to help police. He urged anyone who could help to call investigators or call CrimeStoppers.

“We need to get these kids,” he said. “They had no regard for human life whatsoever, shooting into a crowd of people like that. I hope that when these people are brought to justice, the justice system holds them in the same regard.”

Police resources

Lovett has done more than ask for the public's assistance.

Earlier this year, his department submitted a number of requests to increase personnel. He asked for five juvenile officers to work more closely with youth crime issues. His head of criminal investigations asked for 12 more investigators, two property room techs, a sergeant to supervise and five administrative assistants, which would free up detectives from the crush of paperwork.

The chief also followed up on a request for a street-level drug unit he made during a meeting earlier this year with Jackson and then-City Manager Rochelle Small-Toney and Alderman Tony Thomas. In the written proposal, the department asked for 30 more officers for the drug unit.

His staff estimated the total cost to equip the unit and pay salaries would be $2.8 million.

The five juvenile officers were estimated to cost $492,719. The investigators, sergeant and property techs were estimated at $1.2 million. The five investigative administrative assistants: $156,749. The total of the requests: about $4.6 million.

None of the requests is part of the 2013 budget. City budget staff this Wednesday and Thursday will present a proposed budget that calls for no new funding requests for any department, including police.

Council members will be presented with each department's requests and can decide how many, if any, will be included in the budget.

What they will have to figure out is how to pay for any additional approvals.

The city is projected to end this year with no surplus and had to tap into its reserve funds to break even for 2012.

Jackson remembered Lovett's request and expects it to be presented.

“That is one thing we will be looking for in the new budget,” she said.

On the midway

Sunday afternoon, hours before the fair was about to close, parents pushed babies in strollers, older children scooted from one ride to another and couples strolled hand in hand.

Paul Glover Sr. had his 2-year-old granddaughter on his shoulders. The daytime is fine, he said.

“Night time, no. We go home,” he said.

Not far away, Nicole Soldan was ushering four children out of the gates and back toward their car. Her daughter, Isabella, was celebrating her seventh birthday. They went to the fair Saturday night, despite Soldan's reservations, because Isabella was insistent.

She left with the children and was relieved and thankful Sunday they hadn't stayed.Isabella, Laura, 14, Harrison, 11, and friend Mary Tippins, 7, left Sunday loaded down with food, stuffed animals and smiles.

“Today was wonderful,” Soldan said.

Those are the memories fair president Chris Hafer wants remembered.

Before Saturday night, they had nothing but good news. The fair had attracted more than 60,000 people, an increase from last year, even in a weak economy.

He was on the midway Sunday, as were many other members of the Exchange Club. The fair began 63 years ago as a fundraiser to support youth organizations, such as the Jenkins Boys and Girls Club. It also contributes to the Center for the Prevention of Child Abuse and each year sponsors the Quick Think-A-Thon, which teaches elementary school children about the risks of downed power lines and similar hazards.

Gun violence hasn't been part of the education, Hafer said, but in light of Saturday, it might need to be.

In the hours since the shooting, Hafer’s immediate priority Sunday, aside from staying on site to assure a smooth final day to the fair, was to offer the victims and their families his prayers.

He was hesitant to say what, if anything, needed to change, but said the board of directors would discuss any changes, as they do after every fair.

Nearly 50 off-duty Savannah-Chatham metro police officers were working as security. Within minutes of the shooting, the number of law enforcement, including Georgia State Patrol and Chatham County Sheriff's deputies, swelled to about 150, he said.

“We were doing our best to protect everybody,” he said. “As soon as shots were fired, we carried out our emergency plan. We locked everything down to control the situation. The response from law enforcement was incredible.”

Hafer said he, too, initially wondered whether metal detectors should be installed. At the grounds on Sunday, he looked at the hundreds of feet of chain-link fence and realized how easy it would be for someone to pass through a gun. Even more police or a different location might not help.

The fair’s location, off 62nd Street from Montgomery Street, has become a point of concern for some.

Though the grounds are well-lit and police and volunteers plentiful, it is ringed by some of the city’s poorest neighborhoods, and the signs of people living in abject poverty are everywhere.

Hafer on Sunday wasn’t sure anywhere would be safe. “What if we had it at The Pink House downtown? The same thing happened there,” he said. “So where do we go? Do we not go to movies because of what happened in Colorado?”

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Did the chief really use the word "gangs" in his speech? Really? I thought he said we didn't have gangs in Savannah. Huh. Musta come to town over the weekend just to attend the fair.

Did the mayor really say that parents will be held accountable for the criminal actions of their children? Really? Can't wait to learn the details of the first case brought against a parent. Maybe we can start with the parents of the gang bangers who shot up the fair.

Now, action is required. The City Council needs to step up and fund the initiatives. If there is a need for more police, then fund that and put other projects on hold. If people cannot feel secure in Savannah, nothing else will matter in the long run.

Needtomove, why do you think cops aren't allowed to do their job? Do you want to go back to the days when cops could get away with harassing and abusing people who may not even be guilty without fear of reprimands? Is that what you call doing their job? Some cops can't even be trusted to treat their family members right. How do you think they'll treat strangers? Wake up!!!!!!

what drama you write. I am talking about when cops are told to "not offend anyone" and make sure they make traffic stops but make sure they are not "profiling"! unless u know the department, keep your mouth closed. Our metro officers are told to make "extra traffic stops BUT Not to pi$$ anyone off!" seriously, we can't fix crime without [filtered word]ing anyone off! and for ur information, family abuse comes in ALL walks of life, ALL professions, ALL cities. cops see it all, nobody is exempt from domestic abuse.

There needs to be tougher punishments for these kids doing these crimes! My car was stolen last year and the punk's little friends decided to take all my Christmas presents that I had bought with money that I worked hard for back to the mall. Well, one of them got caught and after 2 court dates, the only punishment he got was continued probation and he was to write me an apology letter.... His probation officer asked that his probation be at a discounted price b/c his mother had already had another child on probation and they said YES!! Plus, I never got that letter of apology! I say.... make that Mom pay full price for her 2 bad kids and she will pay a lot more attention to where they are!!! Plus.. the DA nor the judge ever asked the boy who his friend was that actually stole the car. They acted as if they didn't even care. I had to stand up and ask the judge permission to speak and after I told her everything, since the DA didn't, she asked him and they finally gave her the name of the other guy. He had already been in jail for stealing another car since mine! These kids are bad and need to be dealt with on a harsher level. If not, they will just keep getting worse!

I'm going to do something unheard of for me,...
On this one, I'm actually gonna side with the conservatives,...

I'm normally known as a liberal on here who defends all races,....

and I normally fight against the people on this board who always blame everything on "Thugs" and other coded dog-whistle style racism.

And normally, most of the people who are shot in savannah , no-matter what the skin color, are somehow somewhere they shouldn't be and possibly up to no good themselves when stuff goes down,....

On this one,.....You-all are RIGHT,....

This one crosses the line, This is Gang Violence. and needs to be prosecuted to the full extent of the law, with no mercy at all.

If it's a shooting downtown near bars at 3am that's one thing,...

but when it's at a fair, where little children are having a night of fun and making nice family memory's, and you do this?,....

You've found it, Even I can't defend that,....It's gotta stop!

Throw the book and more at them,.....

or better yet, adult males of the same race as the perpetrators out there,.....find them and deal them you're own kinda justice, teach them that even in "turf" wars there are lines you don't cross, and any place with innocent children is one of them. Go ahead and kill each other if you think that's a good idea, but leave the little kids out of it.

ugh....sorry to hear all of that but honestly, none of it surprises me. BUT I will tell u a good thing....judge Lisa Colbert, on the job for a month +, does not fool around! she is ALL for holding these juvenile punks accountable and the parents too. she is really all for finding solutions but with a stern hand. I really hope these kids are held responsible for their actions, along with these parents! here is to hoping for change with her at the helm!

"Why isn't there a curfew for young juveniles?"
There is...OCGA 15-11-2(12)(E)..."Unruly child means a child who: Wanders or loiters about the streets of any city, or in or about any highway, or any public place, between the hours of 12:00 midnight and 5:00 AM." It goes back to like some are saying...let the police do their jobs.

The thing is, Mayor Jackson and Chief Lovett can be as sick and tired as the rest of us are about the violence commited in our city by juveniles, but until the juvenile courts take a hard line against these kids, nothing is going to change. Unfortunately, the juvenile courts are completely overrun with cases and handing down a real punishment is unlikely. My observation has been that these kids are well aware of how the court system works. They will tell you that there is no real punishment for the crimes they commit prior to turning 17 yrs old. Before 17yrs old, they are basically given a slap on the wrist and told to behave. Probabtion (which consists of the kid stopping by his PO's office once a week and showing his face) or community service is the typical juvenile punishment. It seems that probabation/comm service is not a deterrent for most of the kids committing these crimes. Add to this the fact that most parents will move heaven and earth to keep their kids from ever suffering any kind of consequence for their bad behavior and you are left with what seems like a never ending cycle of juvenile crime.

u are very correct . it is what it is ... and nothing is gonna change anytime soon. I speak the truth, let the department do their job and to heck with people getting mad. you can't make everyone happy BUT u can make them safer

The juvenile system is not equiped nor was it created to deal with today's violent kids! The juvenile system in Georgia is not unique to this state but just like every other area of the country. Judges are bound to a system that is supposed to treat- not punish. You can staff 1000 police and you won't change a thing! Kids may get locked up but then they have to be released-that's the law- Curfew violations, truancy, unruly kids cannot be locked up at all! Police have their hands tied as does the juvenile system...Oh, and even if a gun is involved- unlike adults- the feds won't even consider prosecuting a juvenile. The juvenile code is in the process of being re written...and will be even more coddling than the present one. I do agree that all of the problems start at home and who is raising the child. Unfortunately, single parent- or no parent but a grandparent or relative are fighting an uphill battle and when they won't or can't supervise- the streets and kids peers will raise them. Please don't rely on a parental responsibility ordinance- when the georgia code has had one in existence for at least 20 years...

I'm giving my all to help locate these shooters, and as soon as I see a blue jumpsuit, I'll call Police. Based on the description, it doesn't say what nationality I should look for, just a blue jumpsuit. So Savannah, get all the white, black, mexican, oriental, and anyone else that can be named arrested, because only the clothes were seen, and not global location of the shooter. What a great description, no one saw the shooter, just the clothes, will co-insidenses never die? ROTFLMO

I was there the night of the shooting and left about 15 minutes before the shooting..in no way did I ever see what would amount to 50 cops, unless you add the cops directing traffic and hanging out by the gates..even then..50?? Come on Cheif, show us the records..or is this just another one of your exaggerations? Mayor Jackson, demand to see the sign in sheets and if there weren't 50 cops..AT THE SAME TIME..take the Cheif out behind the woodshed and give him the whipping he deserves..how can we trust you to protect us if we keep catching you I these lies???

"It's a whole new ball game now," Willie Lovett said. "The time has come. We were just inches away from burying seven people."

The Pickel, Deloach, Franklin, and Bianconsino families are ZERO inches from burying their family members. Sounds like ol' Willie is much more concerned about the seven shot at the fair than the four listed above who were murdered.

The first thing Larry Chisolm did when he took office was reassign Jeff Hendrix (arguably the state's top juvenile court prosecutor) to fulfill a personal vendetta from the days when Jeff was Larry's supervisor. Jeff was replaced by Bessie Walthour, who wears a do-rag and more often sides with the baby gang bangers over the police!

Who the he** are THEY ? I'm very proud of these officials for FINALLY speaking out !! To lay blame on any group of people for the actions of some is moronic ! These are CHILDREN !! I don't give a hoot what race they are...these city officials need to take a stand and have failed in their responsibilities to the residents of this city for not doing so sooner. These children apparently don't have competent parents, so remove them from these homes ! To spew venom and division of any race is an abomination whether your a poster here or a city official !
Yes,Sajo I noticed as well no mention of the murders of the other young people, that was vile as well in my opinion. Do we stoop to a divisive mindset or do we rise above and seek solutions ?

Instead of running to church when she learned of the shootings, the mayor should've headed for her command post at city hall and marshaled the police department into a clean sweep of Hellhole. We don't need any more hugs. We need action and we need it now. If Edna can't do her job any better than Rochelle did hers, she needs to follow her out the nearest exit. And I'm gonna sit right here and wait for news of the FIRST parent cited for failure to corral their kid...

...on both sides of the race equation, and work together to save Savannah from being ruined. I work with both black and white residents of Savannah. I don't live within the city limits, but I like to go to cultural and other events in the city. So I have an interest in this, beyond just saving the value of my islands home.

The black folks I work with, just like the white folks, are horrified by the violence and want it to end. So what is needed is not a bunch of trolls on Savannah Now making racist statements against each other. Instead what we need is for people that care about the city, and that care about their children and grandchildren, to make it clear to their elected representatives that the crime problem, particularly the juvenile gun problem and drug dealing, is the number one problem in Savannah. It must be made clear to the Mayor and the City Council that the measure of their performance will be the crime and murder rates, the street crime and gun crime rates in the city. What we need to do is to tell them that unless they make the city safe for its residents, and do it quickly, that they will be looking for new jobs. That is the only way to get their attention. People need to get loud and get in their faces at Council meetings, in emails and in phone calls. You want things to change? Then do something about it. The best thing you can do is to create unbearable pressure on the people in power in government.

unfortunately you speak the truth. but STANDUP, you may not care what race they are but isn't it always the same? always. I am sick and tired of these slug low life parents who keep breeding over and over again and WE keep paying for them.

Might surprise you that I am not "from the left", at least in my understanding of what that means. I am a rather moderate guy.

What do I think can be done? More police resources such as what the Chief has proposed. Juvenile policing. A concentration on gangs and drug trafficking. A much heavier police presence in high crime neighborhoods and community policing programs. Beat cops...yeah officers on foot in some places where it makes sense. I believe that police presence, and attention to where crime shifts in response to police presence, can go a long way toward smothering criminal activity.

Longer term solutions rely upon concerted efforts in education. Breaking the cycle of young people having kids when they have not reached maturity themselves, and when they have yet to finish schooling or vocational training and are not equipped with the skills to earn a living. Nullifying the pull of criminal activity, particularly drug trafficking, as a way toward economic reward. (I am for decriminalization of most drugs as the way to take the profit out of it, but that does not stand a chance of becoming reality.) We need to somehow stop young men from choosing drug trafficking as a career choice, and knock gang subculture from its dominance in some parts of the city. That is going to take a whole lot of work by local community leaders, churches, schools, police, etc. That is the hardest part of all. I am no expert on how to do it.

There are many single parents in this community of all races and genders who are raising productive, happy, loving children. Apparently these kids haven't had that, once again, birthing a child does NOT make you a parent.These kids don't come out of the womb as many here wish to believe criminal elements, these are learned behaviors from emotionally absent parents. I don't believe it's about money either with these kids, I believe they've never had a sense of self worth instilled in them, I believe it's moreso about "acceptance". Children become products of the environment in which they are raised. You want to break this cycle,then remove these children from the homes. Give the children a chance ! I read this yesterday : Train up a child in the way he should go; and when he is old,he will not depart from it. (proverbs 22.6)

if the parents/grandparents/guardians of these thugs weren't under the impression that shooting an unregistered gun in the air during a youth football game and then running from the police was acceptable, they would actually hold themselves accountable for their parenting...or lack there of.

I happen to believe that the Mayor and clowncil are in way over their heads with regards to the present crime situation. I'll also admit that I'm uncertain, as well, with how to deal with the long term issues that created it. Nevertheless, something has to be done, both in the short term and long term.

I'm also certain they read the comments made on this website and we need to get past the name calling/racist bantering and actually provide some hard solutions, then demand, like you say, that they implement them. Otherwise, if let up to clowncil and their lip service, the city will continue to spiral downwards .

Excellent post. These delinquent kids are a direct result of absentee parenting, not single parenting. Now dealing with that issue is the crux of the problem, with no easy solutions. How do you stop an irresponsible person from breeding??? As much as I love that idea, I don't think you can. So then, maybe we should invest more into institutions like Bethesda and place these kids there(before they are old enough to break the law), rather than spend the money on prison enlargements. Better return on our investment for sure....

I remember the majority of Chief Berkow's picture was taken at the scene of any thuggery or unfortunate incident, and the majority of Chief Lovett's are taken from his leather easychair. At least this showed that someone acted like they cared.